B&D Men's League: Baxter's battle in vain as Cliff rise

B&D Men's League: Baxter's battle in vain as Cliff rise

SECTION One leaders Knyveton Gardens could only muster three points at Alexandra Park.

A 28-10 return from Dave Baxter’s rink backed up by a last-minute 18-18 tie from Dave Hart put the Gardeners in with a shout. However, Alan Trevett, Pat Rod, Dave Hodgkiss and Paul King (29-10) steered Alex through to a 76-72 win.

Boscombe Cliff climbed back on top after a clinical 12-2 victory over lowly Lymington. Cliff’s 81-51 victory was inspired by Ron Sparks, Tony Geary, Stan Jordan and Alan Geary (32-10). Roy Richardson (19-10) salvaged two points for the Lymos.

Southbourne clung on to third place after scraping an 8-6 win over Branksome Park. With two ends to go the match was all square, but Brian Jones squad of Brian Sadler, Brendan Sullivan and Dave McKenna (32-11) collected a seven then a three to snatch a 73-70 win for the Towermen. Paul Tidby (19-11) topped Branksome’s three winning rinks.

Poole Park kept their slender hopes of retaining their title alive by overcoming Ringwood 12-2. The star turn of Alan Blaby, Jack Smith, Norman Dames and Chris Weekes (30-17) paved the way for the Dolphins to win 88-69. Ringwood’s only winning reply came from Peter Ward’s quartet (24-18).

West Moors will be making an immediate return to Section Two. Moors skip Ray Hunt (19-13) needed three shots on the last end for a West Moors victory over Bournemouth but could only manage one. The Marauders eventually ran out as 10-4 (77-76) winners, courtesy of an 18-11 win by Colin Haynes, Barry James, Phil Pugh and Kevin Saunders.

• Top versus bottom in Section Two went true to form as New Milton trounced Kings Park 12-2. Mike Barlow, John Thorpe, Roy Johnson and Roger Herlihy (34-11) were the cornerstone of Milton’s 92-53 triumph.

Broadstone-Wessex moved into the other promotion spot by handing out a 105-57 thrashing to Boscombe Cliff A. Chris Howard’s crew of Bob Sibley, Bob Steffe and Michael Caines (35-7) blew the doors off of Cliff’s defences to top the Wessex Men’s four winning rinks.

Southbourne A also lost on four rinks against promotion contenders Wimborne. Eddie Hawkins, Doug Smith, Keith Gentry and Chris Nappin (23-14) earned the plaudits as the Min-stermen eased to an 85-62 win.

Fordingbridge and Electric shared the rinks at The Broadway. Roy Moretti (21-16) put the Turks on track, but despite losing on his rink, Derek Purse picked up five shots on the last end to give the visitors a 74-72 victory.

Swanmore secured their tenure in this division by turning over visitors Pelhams 14-0. George Smith’s rink of Bob Brown, Roy Thomson and Alan Piper (28-6) called the tune as the Swans romped in to win 98-50.

• Braeside retain the leadership in Section Three despite losing 10-4 (83-72) to promotion rivals Richmond Park. A 30-16 avalanche from John Snow’s men, John McAusline, Graham Shoots and Mike Lodge, put the game out of reach for the Carpet-baggers, whose top return came from Eric Lamb’s flock (19-13).

Poole Park remain Braeside’s closest challengers after their 11-3 win over Braeside A. The Dolphins’ top score in their 86-67 triumph were Bob Hobby, Peter Martin, John Potter and Denis Fletcher (25-9).

Knyveton Gardens dropped out of contention after crashing 14-0 (102-55) to their bogey team Moordown. Top honours for Moordown went to John Humber, Tony Nelson, Peter Frampton and John Long (35-8).

With Moordown winning, it was crucial that relegation threatened Redhill got a result at Iford Bridge. Roy Saunders, Colin Bennett, Bob Dixon and Barry Sturgess (23-10) responded and led the Rangers to a 12-2 win.

West Moors now look set for the drop following their 12-2 defeat at Highcliffe. Top scorers in Highcliffe’s 92-55 victory were Tony Smith, Derek Weaver, Ray Jolley and Eric Snook (26-11).

• Section Four leaders Branksome Park A missed the opportunity of securing promotion when surprisingly losing 12-2 (74-70) at home to Swanage. Squirrels’ skip Graham Longman (22-12) fell short of the Purbecks’ three winning rinks, which were headed by Mike Keats, Mark Sheppard, Derek Smith and Nick Crocker (22-14).

Argyll closed in on the leaders with a 10-4 win at Milford-on-Sea. Bill Taylor, Colin Harrison, Mark Howard and John Roberts (27-22) were the main performers in Argyll’s 89-83 victory.

Poole Park B kept their hopes of promotion alive when returning from New Milton with twelve points. The 98-66 triumph was never in doubt after Jim Moon, Ted McIndoe, Dave Grant and Bill Ogden had checked in with a monumental 36-13 win.

Christchurch moved clear of the drop zone after John Waller, Tony Connor, Joe Spicer and John Kendall (27-12) paved the way for way for a 10-4 (75-63) triumph over Wimborne A.

Broadstone-Wessex still have a foot in the door following their 11-3 win at Redhill Park. Tom Poor, Will Taylor, Graham Williams and Gordon Tompsett (23-15) steered the Wessex Men to a 75-64 winning tally.

Knyveton Gardens remain locked in the basement after losing on all rinks at Ringwood. The main contributors to the Foresters’ 82-56 win were Aubrey Howell, Doug Jones, John Davis and Brian Tester (28-12).

• The top two sides in Section Six met at Argyll, but it was the visitors, Branksome Park B, who came away with the spoils and the leaders’ mantle. Derek Chant (15-15) denied the Squirrels a full house, after Brian Cookson, Lynn Jenkins, Roger Richardson and Colin Burns (20-13) fired up Branksome to win 76-59.

Swanmore A moved into a promotion place after gathering in 10 points at Wimborne. Dennis Rarrety, Bob Coward, Nick Terry and Eric Maidment (30-9) featured in the Swans’ 82-77 victory.

Six points separate the bottom six teams, two being Southbourne and Richmond Park. But it was bottom-club Southbourne who defeated HQ 10-4 (82-67), thanks to Mike Pick, Geoff Green, Peter Gower and Bryan Clay carding a 24-10 win.

Another two in trouble, Poole Park and Iford Bridge, met up at Lakeside. Iford settled for four points after John Bennett, James Wells, Martin Butcher and Colin Ansell (31-16) guided the Dolphins to an 84-77 win.

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